Apparatus for following an edge of a moving elongated object



Jan. 29, 1957 A. TEPLITZ 2,779,549

APPARATUS FOR FOLLOWING AN EDGE OF A MOVING ELQNGATED OBJECT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5. 1954 INVE/V TOR. ALFRED TEFL/7'2, Amw/Ld g his A from ey.

Jan. 29, 1957 A. TEPLITZ 2,779,549

APPARATUS FOR FOLLOWING AN EDGE OF A MOVING ELONGATED OBJECT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1954 //v VEN 70R. AL FRED TEPL 7'2,

his Attorney.

United States Patent 9 APPARATUS FOR FOLLQWING AN EDGE 'GF A MOVING ELONGATED OBJECT Alfred Teplitz, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New .iersc Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 93,486

8 Claims. (Cl. 242-76) This invention relates to apparatus for following an edge of a moving elongated object and more particularly to a scanning device used in conjunction with gages, strip position control devices and the like. In scanning devices presently used the device observes the position of one edge of the strip. If the strip being handled has badly cracked edges, as frequently occurs in processing stainless steel, the control tends to hunt. It the strip varies in width, the control from one edge only causes the strip to shift away from the desired center line. It is also necessary to change the scanning device or the control thereof when changing from one strip width to another. Since the sensing element of the scanning device is located adjacent the edge of the strip it is subject to damage especially from ragged edges of the strip.

it is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus for following an edge of a moving elongated object.

Another object is to provide a scanning device for locating the center of a moving elongated object, which may be used without adjustment regardless of the width of the strip and in which the sensing element is not subject to damage by the strip.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view illustrating my device and the controls associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the edge following device of my invention;

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line Ill-ill of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line IV-JV of Figure l;and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the sensing device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates the mandrel of a conventional uncoiling reel. The mandrel 2 is mounted in a housing 4 which is slidably mounted on a base 6. A hydraulic cylinder 8 is mounted on the base 6 and has its piston rod 1t) attached to the housing A coil of strip 8 is supported on the mandrel 2. In many instances the strip on the coil is telescoped as shown so that it is necessary to continuously adjust the lateral position of the mandrel 2 to make the center line of the strip as it leaves the mandrel coincide with the center line of the processing equipment into which the strip is to be fed. The strip S passes from the mandrel 2 over two spaced apart rolls 12R and 121.. The rolls 21211 and 12L are mounted on a bent shaft 14. The end portions 16R and 16L of the shaft 14 are straight wd in axial alignment. The end portions 16R and 16L are mounted in supports 18R and 1551s, respectively, which in turn are mounted on brackets 29?. and MEL, respectively. Lever 22 i keyed to the shaft portion 16L and extends downwardly therefrom as shown in Figure 3. A plate 24 is welded or otherwise fastened to the bracket ZllL and is provided with an arcuate slot 26 for receiving a bolt 28 which 2,779,549 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 also passes through a hole in the arm 22. The shaft 14 may be rotated to a limited degree to change the position of the bent portion of the shaft. When so adjusted it is locked in place by tightening the tint on the bolt 28. The angularity of the shaft 14 is exaggerated in the drawings. In Figure 2 the angularity preferably should be eliminated entirely. The rolls 12R and 12L are rotatably mounted on the shaft 14 by means of bearings 34 It will be seen that the axes of the rolls 12R and 12L converge toward each other away from the direction of approach of the strip. In addition to being rotatable in respect to the shaft, the rolls 12R and 12L are also freely movable axially on the shaft. The rolls 12R'and 32L are provided with circumferential flanges 32R and 321, respectively, which flanges are adapted to contact the edges of the strip S. The rolls 12R and 12L are also provided with flanges 34R and 34L, respectively, spaced outwardly from the flanges 32R and 32L, respectively, so as to provide circumferential grooves 36R and ML, respectively. Because of the arrangement of the axes of the rolls 12R and 12L, each roll will move toward the center line of the strip as it is rotated by the strip passing therecve-r until the flanges 32R and 32L touch the strip. Thereafter the flanges 32R and 321. will follow the edges of the strip. Rollers 33R and 3812 are positioned in the grooves 36R and 36L, respectively. Rollers 38R and L are mounted on the free end of identical links 46?. and ML. The other end of each of the links 43R and 461-. is pivotally mounted on a pin 52 which is located beneath the strip in a plane through the desired longitudinal center line of the strip. A link 44 is also mounted on the pin lla-11d extends upwardly therefrom. A slot 46 is provided adjacent the top of the link 44 on the center line thereof for receiving a pin 43 to which is attached one end of identical links SllR and 50L. The other end of each of the links 50R and 50L is attached to the links 40R and 40L by means of pins 52R and 52L. The rollers 38R and 38L follow all variations in strip edge position. Because of the geometry of the linkage, pin 48 will always be midway between rollers 38R and SSL. By properly designing the length of the various links the pin 48 will move exactly the same amount as the deviation of the strip. However, the length of the links may be varied in which case the motion of pin 48 will be proportional to the deviation but not equal thereto. The portion of link '44 extending beyond pin 48 is cut away to the common center line between pins '42 and 48 so as "to provide an edge 5% which locates the center line of the strip.

Any standard type of control may be used to control the movement of the housing by means of cylinder "8. That shown is the well known Askania type. This consists of a sensing element 52 mounted on brackets "5 carried by angles 55 extending between brackets 20R and 20L and a regulator 56. As best shown in Figure "5;

the sensing element 52 consists of two orifices held in' air at a constant pressure through conduit 60. The air passes out of this orifice and is recovered by the other orifice. When the link 44 moves so that the edge 50 is not directly in line with the center lines of the orifices, the pressure at the receiving orifice is varied an amount depending upon how much of the-orifice i covered. Thus the recovered air pressure is a direct measurement of the position of edge 50. This pressure is applied through a conduit '62 to one side of a diaphragm 64 located in the regulator 56. The other side of the diaphragm 64 is connected to a jet pipe '66. ,A spring 68 balances "the force of the diaphragm softhat when the controlled edge is at the desired position the jet pipe arran e 3 66 directs its oil stream midway between two orifices 70 and 72. The two orifices W and 72 are connected by means of pipes '74 and 76 to opposite ends of the piston of the cylinder 8.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the center line of the strip is in the desired position the pressure applied to the diaphragm 64 will be exactly balanced by the spring 68 so that equal pressure will be applied to both sides of the piston of cylinder 8. When the center line of the strip moves from the desired center line the link 4-4 and hence the edge 59; will be moved from the center line a proportionate amount and in the same direction. This will increase or decrease the pressure on the diaphragm 64 depending upon which direction the edge 50 has moved. This in turn causes the jet pipe 66 to move to direct a greater amount of oil into one of the orifices 70 or 72 and hence causes more oil to flow to one side of the piston in the cylinder so that the piston rod 10 will move the mandrel 2 in a direction which will bring the center line of the strip back to the desired position. This movement causes the edge 50 to move to the desired position bringing the jet pipe 66 back to neutral position where it will remain until the strip S moves from the desired center line.

While the apparatus has been described in conjunction with one particular embodiment it will be under stood that the device may be used for other purposes without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for following an edge of a moving object having side edges, said apparatus comprising a shaft, a roll having a relatively flat surface in rolling contact with said object, said roll being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto, the axis of said roll being in a plane extending transversely from one edge of said object toward the longitudinal center thereof away from the direction of approach of said object, means preventing movement of said roll axis out of said plane, and a peripheral flange on said roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the flat surface of said roll, the rolling action of said roll on said object causing said roll to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flange into contact with said edge of the object.

2. Apparatus for following the edges of a moving object having sides edges, said apparatus comprising a bent shaft, a pair of rolls in rolling contact with said object, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of said object, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of the object and converging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the object, and a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said object causing said rolls to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flanges into contact with opposite edges of the object.

3. A scanning device for locating the longitudinal center line of a moving object having side edges, said apparatus comprising a bent shaft, a pair of rolls in rolling contact with said object, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of said object, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of the obect and converging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the object, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said object causing said rolls to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flanges into contact with opposite edges of the object, and means connected to said rolls for indicating the midpoint between said flanges.

4. A scanning device for locating the longitudinal center line of a moving object having side edges, said apparatus comprising a bent shaft, 2. pair of rolls in rolling contact with said object, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respec thereto, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of said object, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of the object and converging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the object, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said object causing said rolls to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flanges into contact with opposite edges of the object, a pair of links of equal length pivotally so at one end on a common axis extending in direction of object travel and located between said rolls but in a plane offset with respect thereto, means connecting the free end of each link to a respective roll, a center link having one end mounted on the common axis of said pair of. links, a pair of connecting links of equal length having one end connected on a common axis to said center link, means connecting the other end of one of said connecting links to one of said first pair of links, and means connecting the other end of the other of said connecting links to the other of said first pair of links.

5. A scanning device for locating the longitudinal center line of a moving object having side edges, said apparatus comprising a bent shaft, 21 pair of rolls in rolling contact with said object, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of said object, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of the object and converging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the object, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said object causing said rolls to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flanges into contact with opposite edges of the object, each of said rolls having a circumferential groove therein, a roller located in each of said grooves, a pair of links of equal length pivotally mounted at one end on a common axis extending in direction of object travel and located between said rollers but in a plane offset with respect thereto, means connecting the free end of each link to a respective roller, a center link having one end mounted on the common axis of said pair of links, a pair of connecting links of equal length having one end connected on a common axis to said center link, means connecting the other end of one of said connecting links to one of said first pair of links, and means connecting the other end of the other of said connecting links to the other of said first pair of links.

6. Apparatus for maintaining the longitudinal center of strip being uncoiled from a coil in a desired vertical plane comprising means for moving the coil axially, a bent shaft located a distance from said coil, a pair of rolls in rolling contact with said strip, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto one on each side of said longitudinal center, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of said strip and converging toward each other away from the direction of appreach of the strip, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said strip causing said rolls to move inwardly on said shaft to bring said flanges into contact with opposite edges of the strip, means connected to said rolls for indicating the mid-point between said flanges, and means controlled by the last named means for actuating said coil moving means to move the same to a position where the mid-point falls in said vertical plane.

7. Apparatus for maintaining the longitudinal center of strip being uncoiled from a coil in a desired vertical plane comprising means for moving the coil axially, a bent shaft located a distance from said coil, a pair of rolls in rolling contact with said strip, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto one on each side of said longitudinal center, the axes of said rolls being in planes extending transversely from the edges of said strip and converging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the strip, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner'end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said strip causing said roll to move inwardly on its shaft to bring said flange into contact with opposite edges of the strip, a pair of links of equal length pivotally mounted at one end on a common axis extending in direction of object travel and located between said rollers but in a plane offset with respect thereto, means connecting the free end of each link to a respective roll, a center link having one end mounted on the common axis of said pair of links, a pair of connecting links of equal length having one end connected on a common axis to said center link, means connecting the other end of one of said connecting links to one of said first pair of links, means connecting the other end of the other of said connecting links to the other of said first pair of links, said center link having a vertical edge thereon at its free end, and means controlled by the position of said edge for actuating said coil moving means to move the same to a position where the edge falls in said vertical plane.

8. Apparatus for maintaining the longitudinal center of strip being uncoiled from a coil in a desired vertical plane comprising means for moving the coil axially, a bent shaft located a distance from said coil, a pair of rolls in rolling contact with said strip, said rolls being mounted on said shaft for free rotary and free axial movement with respect thereto one on each side of said longitudinal center, the axes of said rolls being in planes ex tending transversely from the edges of said strip and con verging toward each other away from the direction of approach of the strip, a peripheral flange on each roll at right angles to the roll axis located outwardly from the inner end of said roll, the rolling action of said rolls on said strip causing said roll to move inwardly on its shaft to bring said flange into contact with opposite edges of the strip, each of said rolls having a circumferential groove therein, a roller located in each of said grooves, a pair of links of equal length pivotally mounted at one end on a common axis between said rollers, means connecting the free end of each link to a respective roller, a center link having one end mounted on the common axis of said pair of links, a pair of connecting links of equal length having one end connected on a common axis to said center link, means connecting the other end of one of said connecting links to one of said first pair of links, means connecting the other end of the other of said connecting links to the other of said first pair of links, said center link having a vertical edge thereon at its free end, and means controlled by the position of said edge for actuating said coil moving means to move the same to a position where the edge falls in said vertical plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coolidge Oct. 19, 1937 

